Iboga and Ibogaine On the Global Scale: Traditional Rights and Modern Interests

To gain a truly global perspective on iboga and ibogaine, we must think broadly and listen to an international history—not just an American national context. Iboga, the natural source behind all modern research and development of ibogaine, is part of Gabonese national heritage and forms the backbone of a traditional culture that has been using, cultivating, and maintaining a deep relationship with this medicine for untold millennia.At last, we hear this voice: the Elders of the Gabonese traditions and their thoughts on their medicine and traditional knowledge being taken and used without their involvement.We will then hear from the key NGO working on behalf of the Gabonese in implementing the Nagoya Protocol, the legal instrument being utilized by Gabon to protect their rights regarding iboga and ibogaine. We will also hear from the foremost proponent of the groundbreaking Texas Ibogaine Initiative, and how he responds to these global perspectives on ibogaine—and how this may influence the next steps in its expansion within the United States.